Hymn for the Living
by BlackInkStains
Summary: Ciel is a young demon on his first soul hunt. Because of his high status he thinks that he can get every soul he wants whether he's summoned or not. This changes quickly when he meets Sebastian, a doctor who's got better things to do than selling his soul. Modern AU, SebaCiel with demon!Ciel and human!Sebastian.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I shouldn't be starting another multi-chapter when I'm already working on 'Crescendo' and an original story, but I just can't resist the temptation of inspiration XD So, here you go. This fic will contain maybe ten chapters, give or take one or two, and it will be **updated biweekly to monthly** (Mondays). It will definitely be lighter than 'Lay Me to Rest' or 'Crescendo'. I hope you enjoy it!

**Title:** Hymn for The Living

**Rating:** T

**Genres:** Friendship, Romance, Angst

**Pairings: **Sebastian/Ciel, Claude/Alois; possibly more to come

**Warnings:** Shounen ai, demon!Ciel and human!Sebastian, shouta, AU

**Disclaimer:** Kuro's not mine and will never be.

**Chapter 1**

This is not what he expected.

When Ciel (that's the name his parents told him to use, anyway) leaves the church in which he ironically has arrived, he is confronted with so many ugly, sweating, stinking humans that he thinks he'd rather spend a few more moments staring at coloured glass and a crucified man. It's the time they call summer in the city they call London, and the weak humans are walking round in short skirts and t-shirts, fanning themselves with newspapers or their hands as they sweat and moan about the heat.

Ciel doesn't feel anything.

Dubiously, he looks up into the blue sky, too dumbfounded and fundamentally shocked to scrunch up his nose at the indecent stench of chemicals and natural body odour. This certainly is a clash of cultures, a hard one on top of that, and while he feels stared at by the Jesus figure on the altar in the church (his overactive imagination, of course), he can't bring himself to descend the steps in front of him, to move with these lowly creatures that will soon end up as his food.

He doesn't even know which part of London he is at.

And his parents certainly never told him about this _noise_.

Humans are loud and plenty, like a herd of elephant demons on the run. Undisciplined, without any grace whatsoever, and simply…. strange. Weird. Different.

Ciel finally moves away from the church. It's not as if he feels good in its proximity. It's quite nauseating, actually. He doesn't understand the point of religion.

He checks his appearance in the hand mirror his other has given him. His facial features are those of a boy, barely into what humans call puberty. It is better than what he has looked like before coming up here. After all, he is just an infant in demon terms, barely able to eat 'solid food' as his mother likes to call it (even though souls are anything but solid). His father has fed him pieces of a newly acquired soul until now. Ciel liked the sound of the word 'no', so he started using it regularly. No, I don't want to stay with you. No, I am old enough to do as I please and I don't want you to dote on me anymore.

No, I don't want to be fed anymore.

He must be the youngest demon to walk the earth.

And apart from what his parents have told him, he has no clue what to do with himself.

He silently curses himself, feeling that he should have thought about this more thoroughly. Here he is, young, talented, in control of his human form, and he doesn't know where to begin. He wants to come back to Hell with a soul in his stomach, and he wants it to be good and sweet like the one his parents usually hunt for him. There are certain actions that make human souls sweet or spicy, depending on what they are doing and how their mind-set is. 'Sin,' they sometimes call it, maybe 'crime'.

'Fun,' is what his parents call it.

And Ciel merely shrugs at both, not caring about definitions but rather about the outcome, which is why he knows that he has to find a certain person with a certain mind-set that has done certain things so that the outcome is going to be a sweet and desirable soul that is going to keep him full for the next decade.

Here is what he does: He steps into the stream of people and walks aimlessly, opening his ears and his mind, a young predator in its instinctive element. He knows what he has to listen for, he will know when he's being called, and in this century, the callings are as numerous as they can possibly be. He doesn't know whether he's fit enough to stand up against other demons, to fight them for a contract, to mark his territory that will be the human. But if a human doesn't call, then how can he know that he is needed? (Does he want to be needed?) Maybe he should listen for the quiet exclamations, the ones that might not catch enough interest… but a soul that other demons aren't interested in is unworthy of Ciel's attention. The young demon has developed high tastes, he is picky and usually he knows that he can afford to be frowning at a lowly soul since his parents have always fed him the best, but he already fears that he might have to make a few compromises. He also knows that he refuses to do that. Ciel wants the highest quality of souls because he knows he _deserves_ it.

He follows a group of people into an Underground station, clumsily pays for a ticket at the automat without really understanding what should be done with it –

(but his father has told him that without a ticket, he will get undesirable attention which he can't afford; in fact, Ciel has a whole list of things he can and can't do (and things he can do but should be careful about) saved in his head, ready to be called up when needed)

- and gets on the next underground train that arrives. It is obnoxiously loud as it comes to a halt, and stays loud as it continues its way. Ciel wouldn't be surprised if his hearing failed him soon.

He is being gawked at by another man in the carriage, and while young, Ciel has an idea of what he is thinking of while staring at a pretty boy in shorts. Unfortunately, men like this taste slimy and bitter, so he doesn't act upon this lowly human's desires.

He's too good for this, anyway. Besides, his mother would not approve.

He waits until the man leaves the train and then exits at the next station. Still ready to receive callings from humans, he leaves the underground station and feels a pang of worry assault him. The emotion crawls underneath the demon boy's skin and rests there. He is too young to understand it, he thinks, and too different from them to ever feel it like they do. He just knows what worry smells like and knows his body's automatic reaction to it, telling him that this is not a soul he's looking for.

Nevertheless, he turns his head. There is a stern blond woman who outwardly doesn't appear worried in the least. On the inside, though, she's a storm of emotions, and Ciel feels his interest rising. He doesn't know who she is, and he doesn't really care, but he wants to know what she's so worried about, so he follows her discreetly.

The woman rounds one or two corners and enters a large building that reeks of sickness and chemicals that Ciel can already perceive from where he is standing.

When he passes the entry, he hears children laughing, crying, whispering behind the doors, in the corridors, men and women – old and young - talking in friendly tones and _oh_, he thinks, _this is a hospital_.

Faced with a new predicament – how can he get in here without identification and as a child no less? -, Ciel frowns as he observes the woman greeting another female at the hospital reception. He figures he can follow her for now. After all, she is the reason why he's here.

He only makes it to the first storey when he's stopped by a middle-aged nurse. "Are you looking for somebody?"

Her breath smells strange, and Ciel's reaction is to lean back a little, but he keeps his facial expression unmoved.

"Actually, I am," he says, but he doesn't know how to continue from hereon.

His eyes fall on the framed pictures of doctors working on this storey. On one individual in particular, that is: He's got black hair and wine red eyes and his smile is warm. _Sebastian Michaelis_, the name beneath the picture says, and Ciel forgets about the woman who has already disappeared into the second storey. _This_ man, he feels, shall be his.

"Is Sebastian Michaelis working here?"

"He sure is," the woman says with a grunt. She reminds him of a dog his father has once drawn for him… A pug it's called, he thinks. "But the doctor's busy right now and he doesn't have time for you if you don't have an appointment. Where are your parents, anyway?"

Ciel lifts his chin, looks her up and down in a better-than-thou manner and says, "_He's_ my father."

Now, he knows that this might not be the best thing to say without having any information on a person whatsoever, but he needs to see this man, he needs to see whether Sebastian Michaelis is what he's looking for. And since he can't say that he's got an appointment and since he's also too proud to apologise, leave and wait for the man to come out, this seems like a good excuse to see him right away.

The nurse's eyes widen. "You're his _son_? Right, and I am his wife."

Ciel stares at her, the horrified question 'You are?' threatening to spill over his lips when a door opens behind her and Sebastian Michaelis steps into the corridor, holding a clipboard against his chest.

And among the smell of decay and innocence washing out of the room, Ciel also receives this wonderfully sweet scent of _sin_ ("Fun," his mother says in his head). Doctor Michaelis has done and experienced all the right things and emotions to make his soul delightfully sweet, to cause the young demon to almost salivate where he's standing (not that he would actually do it, but Ciel must admit, he's quite close). Ciel has little time to act, so he thinks of a way to convince Sebastian Michaelis of making Ciel his 'son' while looking like a human boy to everyone else. The theory lessons with his father help somehow, for he knows that happiness is what people feel when seeing a beloved one. He guesses that fathers love their sons and the other way round. Therefore, it must look natural when he smiles and laughs and waves, loudly calling 'Dad' as if it's the most normal thing on earth.

The nurse turns around with a quizzical expression on her face, and Doctor Michaelis draws his eyebrows together (a sign of confusion, Ciel's brain supplies) before scanning the floor for this father the boy is calling.

How unfortunate that it is him.

Ciel brushes past the nurse, reminds himself that humans aren't as fast as demons can be. His cheeks already hurt from smiling so widely, but he just keeps on doing it, for it must be expected of him. He jumps, wrapping his arms around the man's neck and his legs around his middle, and Doctor Michaelis has good reflexes, for his free arm is quickly supporting Ciel's weight in him. The young demon grasps him a little bit tighter. "Play along, doctor, and I will answer your questions."

"I sure hope you will," the human mutters, sounding displeased as he drops the arm that has been squashed between their bodies.

And then he smiles.

Ciel blinks at him. That human is good.

"What are you doing here?" he asks.

"I wanted to see where you work," Ciel replies automatically, smirking at him since his back is turned to the nurse. This human smells so good that demonic instincts are trying to come to the surface. He wants to slice skin with his nails, wants to bury his teeth in flesh, but he can't because demons like him don't do that without having formed a contract (he couldn't care less about the fact that this is a public place).

"You should be at home." The doctor sets him down. "Besides, you've come quite a way just to see what I'm doing. What if you got lost?"

"I didn't." Ciel wonders what children would do now and fails miserably. _Is_ there anything they would do? He doesn't know. So he stands still.

"Doctor," the nurse begins, "I didn't know you had a son."

"I don't," Sebastian says carefully. "This is my nephew. He just likes to call me dad because he knows I don't like it."

The woman blinks. "Oh. He clearly referred to you as his father, so I assumed... Well, it's quite unusual."

"We all have our quirks." Sebastian grins widely at her and grasps the boy's shoulder. "Let me bring him to my office. The two of us need to talk, am I right, young man?"

Ciel just looks up at him with his usual expression, wondering if children look apathetic at this statement. His father has clearly not explained everything to him. But he must have thought that Ciel wouldn't take this course of action to get to a human. After all he hasn't been called by the doctor. Yet he knows that somebody with such a sweet scent must want something. The vain and greedy always do, don't they?

This soul hasn't called Ciel, but the demon boy will make sure that when he's done with Sebastian, there will be a contract and a prospect for a wonderful meal. It is a soul that fits Ciel's tastes well. And with his status in Hell, he is sure that he can get any soul whether having been called or not. Humans should be throwing themselves at him. But then again, prey isn't that stupid.

As soon as the door to the doctor's office closes, both Ciel and Sebastian's happy smiles fall off their faces. The young demon lazily scans the room, all that white, and sighs at the blandness.

Doctor Michaelis takes place behind the desk. When Ciel doesn't move, he raises an eyebrow. "Sit, please."

Ciel smirks and hops on the desk.

The doctor sighs. "Tell me who you are."

"Call me Ciel."

"Surname?"

The boy blinks. "I don't have one."

"Are you an orphan?"

"I and my parents left each other. However, they aren't dead."

Confusion, his brain supplies again when the man in front of him frowns.

"What do you want from me?"

"I'm here to offer a deal," Ciel says haughtily.

"A deal," the doctor repeats, unfazed.

"My services for your essence."

"Your services for-" The man interrupts himself with a short chuckle. Then he pats Ciel's knee and the boy wants to hiss at him. How dare this lowly creature touch him? "Listen, kid, I think you should go home. Call your parents."

"You think this is a joke."

The man smiles at him, and he seems irritated behind the aesthetically pleasant stretch of his lips. "Yes, in fact, I do." A pause. "It was nice meeting you, Ciel-without-a-surname, but my shift is over right now and I'd like to go home."

Ciel stares at him. Why isn't this human jumping at the unique opportunity? Could it be that he doesn't know who Ciel is?

"I think you don't know who you are talking to," the demon boy says and raises an eyebrow. He knows he _can't_ let this soul slip.

"I do," the doctor replies smoothly, "I'm talking to a young boy who is trying to pull a prank. It's okay, I'm not mad at you, I did that too when I was your age."

"I am the son of Lucifer's counsellor!"

The man narrows his eyes. "Maybe I should drive you home. Can't have you walking around in that state of mind. Wait here, don't move, I'll just change clothes real quick." And he disappears through the next best door, leaving a bewildered young demon in his wake.

Ciel remembers his father having mentioned how humans don't believe in the existence of demons anymore. They value other things now. Ciel is sure that he would have received the respect and fear appropriate for someone of his rank in another, earlier century.

He wonders how he can convince the man. As soon as the human believes him, he will form a contract, right? Ciel is sure that this will happen; a young man like Sebastian yearns for a good career, doesn't he? Don't they all want money and youth and beauty? Or maybe he wants somebody dead without becoming a suspect? Revenge, possibly? Ciel is ready and won't hesitate to fulfil the man's wishes if he only gets the soul at the end.

When Sebastian returns, he is dressed in regular men's attire, much like those Ciel has seen in the city. The man pushes his purse into the back pocket of his trousers, then brushes a hand through his hair and smiles at him. "Are you going to come with me or are you going to go home alone?"

"Which option is less dangerous?" Ciel asks.

The man shrugs, still smiling while emitting waved of irritation. "If you come with me or not, I don't care."

"I'm coming with you, then."

They leave the hospital in mutual silence. Sebastian's car doesn't seem to be out of the ordinary. Ciel climbs in the passenger's seat with much hesitation, for his father has told him about those things, but in the end, the demon boy has never sat in one. It is more of a metal prison to him, and he thinks of how his father likes to make fun of the humans' laziness whenever he gets the chance.

His mother calls it unfortunate progress. Whatever that means.

When the engine comes to life, Ciel flinches badly, shocked at the tremors going through the vehicle. The doctor has the audacity to chuckle.

"What, have you never been in a car, mighty prince?"

"Precisely," Ciel answers irritably, "but that's none of your business, anyway."

"Of course not." The car is _moving_. By the circles of H- "Don't forget to fasten your seatbelt."

"My what?"

The car stops and Sebastian reaches over, fastening the black belt. Ciel stares at it.

Then he blushes.

He can't stand this world, he decides. Full of things that he doesn't know about. He's just making a fool of himself, really.

Sebastian resumes driving. "So, where do you live?"

Ciel scoffs. "You can't reach that place."

"Why not?"

"Because I live in Hell." The young demon shrugs. "We're going to _your_ place."

"I'm not taking you there," the doctor replies. "Tell me where you live and stop joking, please."

"I'm not joking!"

They arrive at a red traffic light. Sebastian, seemingly annoyed, turns to him. The summer sun is going down slowly, painting the skies in red and orange, and Ciel finds that the colour goes well with this human's unusual eyes. His appearance must be easy on the eyes of his species.

"Do you need proof?" Ciel asks.

"No, I don't need proof because I know that this is a prank. Please, stop it." The car is moving again and Ciel looks out the window, wondering how he can convince the human.

Actually, he thinks, it's quite easy.

He waits for the next red traffic light and just when Sebastian starts – "I'm going to drop you off by the next bus stop, hopefully you have money" – Ciel interrupts him.

"Look at me."

The doctor obliges.

Freezes.

Pales.

Ciel can hear the human's heart hammering in his chest. He can see how the hands are gripping the steering wheel harder.

What wonders a pair of glowing red eyes can do.

Ciel turns them into the blue colour from earlier, smirking as the man watches the small change.

He will have this soul.

"We're going to your place and chat, aren't we?"

The man gulps. "We are."

* * *

_So, this was chapter one!_

_Don't forget to tell me how/whether you liked it =D_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thank you for all your wonderful reviews, as well as favs/alerts. I'm glad you find this fic interesting =D Special thanks go to my beta Carrie2sky, who is also going to look at the chapters from this fic from now on :)

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**Chapter 2**

Sebastian Michaelis is a man of science, not a man of religion or superstition. He's never seen a church from the inside since his eighth year and he doesn't care for any kind of god.

Therefore, he of course would never even think of believing in the existence of demons.

But – and this is always this great _but_ that he hates – it turns out that there's one sitting in his car, a bratty one at that, and it's currently playing with the switches of the radio, pressing and twisting them with barely hidden curiosity. Sebastian can only steal a few glances at the creature, but he is, of course – understandably – still in doubt. It might have been a good trick. Who knows what parents buy their children these days. Who knows what ridiculous crap is on the market these days. There might just be something that turns eyes red, special contact lenses: You press a hidden button and your eyes turn red.

Sounds highly dangerous.

Some parents would still buy it.

The doctor rolls his eyes and decides now that he's over his initiate shock, he can think more clearly.

He stops at the next bus stop.

The boy looks at it. "I take it that this is not your house."

"It isn't," Sebastian agrees. Wonders what on earth is wrong with this boy.

The child - Ciel – raises an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"I'm dropping you off because I'm not going to entertain you any longer. You're trying to trick me and I'm not falling for it."

He has for a second. But rational thinking always saves the day, doesn't it?

The boy nods. "Are you… scared, maybe?"

No, he isn't. "Listen, kid-"

"You are, are you not? Scared, I mean. This is why you're in denial." Again, a nod. The boy seems satisfied with his conclusion. "Demons exist. You better believe me."

"Get _out_," Sebastian says through clenched teeth. He doesn't know why he let generosity override him in the hospital when he saw this boy, seemingly lost and trying to hide it with arrogance and haughtiness. He made an exception and let the child come with him but now he knows that he won't be deceived by such vulnerable-looking children anymore, since this one, obviously, is very adamant on grating his nerves into fine powder.

Nothing happens.

Sebastian outstretches his arm and the boy _hisses_.

This makes him pause for only a split second before he unfastens the boy's seatbelt.

After a short moment, the boy opens the car's door, slams it shut and leaves.

Sebastian stares after his retreating form. He has expected a quarrel, a discussion, he has expected the child to put up a little fight, hoping that the doctor would fall for the prank eventually. This is fairly anticlimactic.

He drives home.

For the shortest split of a second, he wonders whether he just did the right thing, letting a child out in the heart of London, all alone. Then he thinks that he isn't Ciel's father and that this isn't his problem.

When he arrives at his flat, there is somebody leaning against the wall next to his door. Sebastian recognises the fancy clothes, the tall, lean body so similar to his. For a short moment, there is a familiar pure, hot rage inside of him, coiling in his stomach, wrapping around his heart and blackening it, and there's this other disgusting feeling, hitting his inside like a fist to the guts. _I could kill you_, he thinks for one moment, and the next, he wills it all away and smiles.

"Claude."

The other man lifts his head, looks him up and down, and nods. "Sebastian."

"What brings you here?" The doctor moves to open the door to his flat. He lets his brother in first, taking in his appearance. Claude is impeccable even when at a low moment.

"I needed some peace." The celebrity goes to Sebastian's living-room without taking his shoes off. He looks around the room, around the whole flat, the two bedrooms, the kitchen, the bathroom, the study. If he has expected a change, he must be severely disappointed. The flat will look like this until Sebastian buys himself a house.

"So you decided to come to me," he concludes. "Why didn't you announce yourself?"

"I'm not the one who never switches on his mobile phone, you know?"

They stay in the kitchen. Claude doesn't speak much when there's no camera in sight, but at the same time he wants his brother to fill the silence. Sebastian, on the other hand, refuses to. It's always the same routine they go through: See who speaks first. See who gives in first.

These days, it's always Claude.

Sebastian silently wonders what is happening, _changing_, but on the other hand, he figures he doesn't care. _Never_ cared. The bastard should be happy about his career, shouldn't he? Sebastian still is only a kindly smiling doctor at a hospital, barely allowed to do a real doctor's work there, and look who takes in less space every time he visits, look at who's become a chain smoker, look who can do what he loves, who has the money and the girls (does Claude even like them would be the other question, but there are many men, too, swooning over him). Look who's never moved a muscle to help when somebody needed it despite having the means to, who has always pushed everyone aside just to be where he's now. And see how he doesn't want it anymore.

It just doesn't seem fair somewhere.

"Aren't you going to offer me anything?" Claude asks.

"You never eat," Sebastian replies with a shrug.

The singer looks at him for a long while, too long maybe, the younger brother can't tell. Then he silently gets a mug from the cupboard and places it under the coffee machine. As the beverage pours into the mug, the singer leans against the counter, barely sneering. "You're always so antagonistic."

"I'm not," Sebastian insists.

Claude falls silent as he takes his mug and inhales the coffee's scent.

"Where is the boy?" The doctor finally asks.

"At home," Claude replies.

Sebastian thinks it's better this way. Young Alois has a tendency to strange behaviour that the doctor can't approve of. He never misses the promiscuous, hungry looks thrown his way (or Claude's, fairly regularly), and he doesn't even want to know what the boy and his guardian are doing when nobody's watching. He refuses to think about it. And he just can't warm up to Alois, but neither can he towards Claude, so somewhere, this doesn't surprise him.

Sebastian doesn't know why Claude keeps showing up. The singer is doing this more often, claims that he's stressed more regularly. What Sebastian doesn't understand is how a person who can handle stress as well as Claude – this man _lives_ for stress – suddenly wants to come to that one person that causes even more strain to his nerves, claiming that he just wants to calm down a bit. It's contradictory. It's illogical. It's _new_.

Sebastian can't handle it.

(He doesn't want to.)

They share an hour in strained silence before Claude looks at Sebastian in an unreadable way and gets up. Manners dictate that Sebastian shows his brother to the door, and so he waits for Claude to quickly check his appearance in the mirror at the entrance. "You know," the older of the two starts, rather suddenly, and his voice – no matter how quiet – is loud compared to the sudden stillness, "you'll never know when you see somebody for the last time."

Sebastian almost snarls at him. "Oh, but there are your posters, and the TV spots in which you are, you are on the tongue of every female in London and all over the world, you play in movies… How can there possibly be a 'last time' when I see you _all_ the time?"

And Claude departs, leaving his baby brother - (_and they were smiling, little children that they were, young Claude wrapping his arms around a grinning Sebastian_) - to stare at his retreating form. He also lets that vicious beast stay, the one that uncurls in Sebastian's chest, disgusting and slimy, and whispers of all things forbidden and unacceptable to him.

There would be no problem if Claude just disappeared.

But he doesn't, _won't_, and Sebastian is wondering who's suffering more from this.

**OOO**

The next morning is rainy.

Switching on his coffee machine in the kitchen, Sebastian listens to the prattle of raindrops against the blinds, interrupted by a mewl coming from the living-room. He goes to the bathroom and –

_Mewl?_

-and returns to the living-room again, dubious. He's on the third floor. Maybe his hearing is failing him already.

The cat, it turns out, is sitting in front of the door to his mediocre balcony. Sebastian stares at it at first, not sure how it came up here, but the feline just brushes past him elegantly, entering his flat without wasting another glance on him. The doctor can't help but smile to himself. Cats certainly are royal animals.

As he closes the door and turns around, he notices that the cat is sitting on his sofa now, and its eyes shine red.

Oh.

It's impossible to say that he has suspected this to happen, but it seems that while he's shocked and surprised that this… creature is in his house, he hears this little part of his brain chiming 'I knew it.' Maybe that's just pitiful self-assurance talking here, but he'd like to think that he indeed knew this would happen.

The next part of the process of understanding is the acknowledgement of another species' existence. It's much harder than it sounds. There is this real feeling of dread spreading inside him, moving forward into every single digit. His brain assumes that adrenaline must be a solution to cope with this situation, and his natural instinct is telling him to run.

Sebastian just stays where he is, watching in rapt and horrified fascination as the cat's limbs stretch, as the animal grows, as bones move under bare skin. The creature _dissolves_ into thick black smoke before it is the boy again that Sebastian saw in the hospital.

Only with much less clothing.

Ciel is just wearing black undergarments, and he looks at the naked flesh of his arms, apparently very displeased, and then straightens despite his state of clothing in something that looks like pure pride. "Is this very improper?"

Sebastian relaxes minutely. Then he nods.

"Well, fetch me clothes, then."

It is apparent that something didn't go quite as the demon has planned, and the doctor can't help but pick it up. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time to fetch you anything. I need to go to work."

"Work can wait," the boy says. "This is more important. Lend me your clothes. I believe we've got a certain matter to discuss."

Silence ensues.

The child's eyes narrow dangerously, and for one second, Sebastian can see something very wild and unrestrained in those red orbs. This demon might not be the most experienced, he thinks (and he has proof to support this little theory of his), but that doesn't mean that it can't kill him. The creature is just waiting for it, isn't it? Or rather, it's playing with him. Sebastian doesn't want to be a part of this game.

He turns around and goes into his room. There, he catches a glimpse of his own reflection in the wardrobe's mirror. And doesn't he look terrible? The horrified look in his eyes doesn't suit him, and this must be the first time he's ever worn it. He wants to rip if off his face, burn it, but it remains where it is, so he averts his eyes, opens the wardrobe and takes out the first thing that his fingers touch. It's the only hoodie that he possesses, but it looks comfortable so he takes it and returns to the boy in his living-room. Ciel gets up and looks at him imploringly. When Sebastian wants to give him the piece of clothing, the child steps back a little, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" the doctor asks and finds that while dangerous, he just wants to get over with their conversation as soon as possible.

"Dress me," the child commands as if it's the most natural thing in the world to dress the creature that has the power to murder you in the most horrible ways (Sebastian secretly wonders whether he will be possessed by that demon).

The doctor frowns.

The child remains perfectly still.

Finally Sebastian sighs. "Well then. You might want to lift your arms."

The boy complies, and the hoodie is pulled over his head.

This is just another game to him, isn't it?

The piece of clothing is way too large, and wearing it makes this beast look endearing. With a small nod, the boy sits down. "I expect you to bring me proper clothing for humans my age when you return from your workplace," he says.

"Pardon?"

The child rolls his eyes. "I'm staying here, in case you didn't realize." He lazily slouches on the sofa, leaving Sebastian no other choice but to stand. "Are you willing to continue our little conversation from yesterday?"

No, Sebastian wants to say, but in the end, he shrugs. There is this strangeness about the creature's gaze; it's analysing something as trivial as a shrug, it's filing this reaction away.

"As you know, I am a demon," the child finally says, a hint of pride in his voice, "the son of Lucifer's counsellor." He raises an eyebrow as if waiting for Sebastian to cower. There are too many things and threats implied in that single sentence, and Sebastian must admit – however, only on the inside – that he's frightened. To _death_.

Ciel purses his lips as nothing happens, and _mimics_ the doctor's shrug. "I came to Earth to form a contract with a human. You have caught my eye, doctor Michaelis, and I hope to form a contract with you. As I said, I'm offering my services in exchange for your taste."

"My taste?" the doctor repeats.

"A taste of you."

Silence.

Then: "You're not going to eat me, are you?"

The boy raises an eyebrow, giving him a look that implies how imbecilic this question was. "Of course I am."

Sebastian hasn't quite anticipated this response after that look. But he does understand that being a demon comes with a very different way of thinking.

Now seems like an awfully good time to either call the police or run.

And right after calling it a plan, the doctor heads for the door. He only gets so far, though, because the door to the hallway is slammed shut right in front of his nose. Startled, feeling his heart skip a beat, the doctor curses, something that he usually doesn't do. It's not aesthetic, it doesn't possess any elegance whatsoever. But he can't care less right now, and he forgets his carefully cultivated attitude. Besides, 'Fucking hell!' sums things up very nicely for once.

He spins around to a child that is still slouching on his couch, red eyes glowing while assessing him, and Sebastian feels his insides twist. Ciel seems so unreal in his flat, he cannot possibly be there on that couch.

…Sebastian comes to the very logical conclusion that he must have been working too hard. He's been tending to patients day in and day out, way past his shift, and this must be the price: He's hallucinating. It can't be any different, can it? Claude has inherited the nerves of titanium from their parents, Sebastian's on the other hand, while able to endure, aren't of the same high quality as Claude's. He's had moments of exhaustion. He is able to wear himself out.

(Claude isn't. He can function for six days without food, running from appointment to appointment; he can put on twenty different faces, making a labyrinth out of his so very bland real personality; he can take everything thrown at him, and then come to visit Sebastian at night, just to listen to his baby brother's angry silence; he will sigh afterwards, as if done with the world, and then he'll get up, go out and dive into the sea of sharks that is called show business. He hasn't snapped once.

Sebastian has, though. Right now.)

"But," the boy speaks up lazily, "just taking your soul away goes against my aesthetics and pride. I shall give you something in exchange for it."

The doctor covers his eyes with a hand, closing them in the self-made darkness. He needs to think. This can't be normal.

"I should go back to bed," he says to himself.

"Not before you listen to me."

And if he ignores the child, it will vanish, right?

"Hey."

Since he's obviously a product of Sebastian's imagination. Though he can't recall having seen a child like that before yesterday. He goes to the door, trying to open it.

"Human!"

It's locked.

He frowns, and tries it again.

Nothing.

This imbecilic door doesn't even _have_ a key. He's lost it a while ago.

… Oh.

"You're real," Sebastian says at last.

"And _you're_ quite dense." Ciel huffs, then gets up from the couch. "And rude. I'm offering a contract, you should be glad."

"I suppose it is only a natural reaction _not_ to be, since it comes with a high price."

"You need to pay according to what you get in return." Ciel smiles dryly. "I can accomplish the impossible for you if you want me to. I can make all your dreams come true." He approaches the doctor, slowly, deliberately.

A predator, fully in its element.

"What is it that you want? I can give it to you. I can make it your new reality."

The need to sit down or just yell is growing. But while his nerves aren't titanium, Sebastian can keep emotions inside him, where they belong. So he stands still, trying to find a good footing in this new territory, and as his mind goes on overdrive, he realizes quite a few things.

One, if this is a demon – really a _demon_ -, it's an inexperienced one. He can see this in the creature's behaviour, in its bluntness. It's lacking a certain amount of finesse. Even Sebastian would have taken a different approach at contracting somebody were he a demon.

This one - he's sure of it - is either young and/or hasn't been in contact with humans often.

Two, if this is indeed a young exemplar, and if it doesn't know humans, then it doesn't know the rules, either, does it?

Three, if you don't know the rules, you can't play the game.

Four, Ciel seems quite willing to play, but he's at a disadvantage.

Five, Sebastian is going to play this little game with the child. But not to lose his soul, no. He doesn't want to form a contract because -

Six, there is nothing on this earth he deems worthy enough to sell his soul for. Nothing at all. So -

Seven, he will try to get rid of this creature, and as fast as possible, _if_ possible. He wants to live his life in peace, thank you very much.

The change in his behaviour is instant: Now that he has a general direction, a vague plan, Sebastian has something he can work with. Now that he's got a goal, he can start calculating. Demons aren't something he knows much about, but he will do his research to know his enemy better. And then he will find a way to get it out of his life.

But first, he will try to discourage the child. With self-confidence and the fact that he doesn't want anything. If the demon loses its interest in him, he may not have to do anything else.

With a slight smile, he steps away from the door, approaching the child in return. Ciel stops immediately, eyes narrowing in a scrutinizing manner, but he waits. Sebastian takes another step, silently, and when he's only a foot away, he starts circling the boy.

"I…" The demon seems confused. "What is it that you want? Fame? You're young. I can lead you on the path to a wonderful career, in whichever profession you want. We don't need to stay with your current profession."

Sebastian answers with silence. As he finishes his first round, glowing red finds wine red. Ciel is trying to read him now; Sebastian notices with satisfaction that this calculating manner in a demon's gaze doesn't stray too far from what it looks like in a human's eyes.

"I can give you wealth. I can take you anywhere you want on this world and provide you a new life." The child lifts his chin. "I can kill for you. Be your tool for revenge. Your justice. Power."

Sebastian circles him again, this time feeling a little bit overwhelmed at the advantages of selling his soul. After all, he's human, he thinks sardonically. His hand comes to rest on milky skin. Surprisingly, it's warm and smooth, this young swan neck. And the boy tenses deliciously beneath his fingers. How easy it would be to break this ne-

"I can be your tool," Ciel says after a short pause. "In any sense. If you want this body, have it. _Take_ it."

And here, Sebastian stops right beside the boy. Feeling the eyes on him and the warm skin just above the neckline of the hoodie, he smiles, more to himself than to the creature. "You would do anything in exchange for my soul?" he asks.

"Anything."

Sebastian does not lay his eyes on the flesh, but he feels how big his hands are, how well his fingers can curl around that fragile windpipe, and briefly wonders whether demons need to breathe. But he quickly dismisses the thought and the whole notion in order to lean down a little, in order to inhale that clean scent of the body so close to him. His heart is beating too fast, he's feeling dizzy, and he just wants to laugh right now, but he fears he won't be able to stop once he's started.

He rests his forehead against the boy's head, that one hand still around the thin throat, and he can't help but wonder whether Ciel is feeling comfortable right now. To intimidate a demon – wouldn't that be a grandiose feat to accomplish?

"Such a shame," he finally says, "that I don't want anything."

There is a very short beat of silence. Sebastian knows that since he's declined the offer, he might be too close. But then again, he might as well just stay there. If distance doesn't matter to this creature, he will at least know when he's being attacked, when claws will cut him.

With one swift, yet oddly fluid movement, Ciel takes a large step away from the doctor. "What?" He's short of baring his teeth, just like an animal would do.

Sebastian crosses his arms in front of his chest. "I'm not interested in forming a contract with you. You might want to continue your search, but you won't get to eat me."

"Everybody wants something."

"That is true," Sebastian agrees, "but not everybody is willing to sell their soul for this."

"They are!"

Sebastian shakes his head.

"They _are_," Ciel insists icily, his voice cutting, his temper flaring (somebody doesn't like rejections), "and you are, too. Don't think too highly of yourself, you're just as greedy. I can feel it, I can smell it in the air around you, on your skin. You are just like them. You are one of them. And just like them, you want something."

"But I'm not willing to sell my soul for it." Sebastian shrugs, showing his nonchalance while something inside him is cringing.

"Not yet." The boy stands regal and proud, so confident that Sebastian feels tiny pinpricks of doubt somewhere behind his eyes. "There will be a time when you will need me. And I shall help you in exchange for your soul."

A soft click is heard in the suddenly quiet room. The door swings open all by itself.

When Sebastian doesn't move, Ciel huffs in faint annoyance. "Don't you have to go to work?"

Blinking, the doctor realizes that he can leave now, which he slowly does. He loathes turning his back to the demon in the room, but when nothing happens after he's out the door, he breathes deeply, carefully, controlled.

Then he goes to the hospital, walking instead of taking the car even if he will be tremendously late, and he stops once, next to a café, to collect his scattered thoughts and to fully understand what has just happened.

* * *

_Please don't forget to tell me how you liked it ;)_

_(And if you want to read another ongoing fic of mine, you might want to check out 'Crescendo'. It's a modern AU with musician!Ciel and painter!Sebastian... Hehe, me and my advertising XD)_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ciel is easily bored.

As soon as the human is gone, he starts feeling the fabric of his clothing – it looks skanky on him, he thinks -, then he goes to lie on the couch, taking in the ceiling above him, the colour of the living-room wall, the wooden floor, the shelves filled with books, the thin rectangular box –

The demon boy's interest rises. This must be some modern technology that his father has cursed already. Ciel wants to know how it works. He inches closer, eyes narrowed in concentration – where is he supposed to start to get a result from this? – and figures he should look for buttons. Buttons seem to bring many results these days.

The only problem is that this box hasn't got any buttons.

Ciel rounds it and finds cables on the other side. He looks at them, and then tugs at them experimentally. When they fall out of the plug, he studies them. Pulls at them. Peels off the isolation. Scrunches up his nose. He can't get far with copper, can he now?

With a scowl he drops the cables and heads for the hallway. Damages a light bulb. Interest lost, he goes to the kitchen and burns his hand with hot water after having spent three hours trying to find out how the stove is switched on. Strangely, while the skin of his hand turns a fierce red and blisters appear, he only feels a mild discomfort. He moves the scalded fingers which is a little harder to do than before. Then he drops the hand – it will heal, he knows that – and goes through the drawers, through Sebastian's fridge and tries to name the things he remembers from lessons with his father.

And then he catches _it_.

He halts in his steps, carefully, and turns to another box, grey this time, but with buttons in plain sight. While it looks interesting, Ciel's actual attention is focussed on the mug between the box and the sink. It hasn't been put away yet, and it doesn't smell of Sebastian. The demon boy takes the mug into his hands and sniffs daintily. A human has touched this, but this human is considered as something else's territory.

Sebastian knows a contracted human.

Ciel senses the scented sprays the human used to enhance his body's smell in the air, stale now that he's left a while ago. Last night, perhaps. The sprays have mingled with the human's natural scent which also carries, for other humans unable to sense, a very evident mark. This demon is surely older than Ciel, and more experienced, for the quality of the mark is high.

Ciel hopes that this demon hasn't declared Sebastian as its next goal.

He goes back to the couch and lies down, his eyes open and his body always ready for an attack (this still is unknown territory, he needs to be careful).

This is how Sebastian finds him.

"Did you honestly destroy a light in the hallway?" the doctor asks instead of a greeting.

Ciel sits up. "It tried to electrocute me."

The doctor stares at him, as if unsure whether to be angry or not. The matter falls under the table entirely when his gaze lowers, attracted by whatever there is to find. Ciel follows his gaze. "What happened to your hand?" And surprisingly, he's on his knees in front of Ciel in no time, assessing the damage the boy has accidentally inflicted upon himself. He raises an eyebrow. "This looks bad."

"It looked worse two hours ago", Ciel retorts and yanks the hand away. "It's healing."

"Healing?" The doctor repeats. "It can't heal if you leave it without treatment."

"I'm a demon." Ciel feels as if he's not taken seriously for having to repeat this fact so often. "Your human rules don't apply to me. We function differently."

Sebastian nods slowly, incomprehension still evident in the way he frowns, but he gets up and that is a beginning. "I got you some clothes."

Ciel blinks. "You did?"

"I thought I should." He quickly leaves the room to return with a large bag of clothes. "If it gets you out of my house."

The demon huffs. "I highly doubt that. Especially not with recent developments."

"Recent developments?"

"Are you hard of hearing?" Ciel asks.

The doctor gives him a look that is only so short of a glare. Feeling exasperation rising in his chest, Ciel almost has the need to remind him how high his rank actually is. He doesn't, though, for a rank can be worn out and needs to be used sparingly. While you can achieve respect with your rank, you also need to earn loyalty and devotion from your subjects. This is a hard thing to do with demons, whose sense for loyalty only goes as far as the outlook of their own personal gain in the situation, but somehow, Ciel's father has managed this, and he's got legions and legions of demons ready, only held where they are by loyalty (their own personal gain, of course) and their high respect of their leader, who managed to gain it without misusing his title.

Ciel wants to follow his father's footsteps, which is why he will not abuse his title, especially not in front of a human. If Sebastian starts to disrespect him, Ciel will find other ways to either intimidate him or gain his respect.

And what works better than forming a contract?

"You aren't safe like this," the boy says at length.

Sebastian looks the boy up and down in such a noncommittal way that it's blatantly insulting at the same time. Ciel wishes to know how he manages that, but this can be learned at a later time. "What do you mean by that?"

"A contract provides you safety," Ciel explains. "Did you know that London is full of my kind? They are everywhere you look, leering after potential candidates. And" – here he pauses, crossing his legs as he thinks about his next words – "many of them don't even form contracts. They will wait in your car when you come back from the hospital, and they will suck out your soul in the middle of the street. They will find you in your house like I did, but since we all go by our own rules, they might not wait for you to make a decision. They won't offer you a deal. They won't ask."

The human looks up from Ciel's knees. "Whether they ask or not, it doesn't change anything if they don't accept a 'no'."

Ciel remains silent, narrowing his eyes. "I have the feeling you aren't taking this as seriously as you should."

"I apologize for not running around screaming," Sebastian says, "but I had a long day, I want to go to sleep and I want you to put something on that doesn't remind me of a scantily clad promiscuous boy."

Ciel scowls. "I don't care how long your day was. This is an issue we have to address. You are _mine_, human, and I have to protect you from rivals. Form a contract with me, and your life will be safe."

"You're young," Sebastian says dryly. The boy feels his face heat up at this. Damn that human. He's too perceptive.

"It doesn't matter how young I am! I am powerful. The mark I will lay upon you shows my rank to other demons. Power and rank matter right now, not experience or age. There are hardly any demons who are on the same level as or above me."

"No." The human says it in a conversational tone, probably the one he uses on every patient in the hospital, and crouches to remove the clothes he bought from the bag. "There won't be a contract. I told you to look for another human. You can't provide me with anything if nothing is what I want."

"I could give you nothing. It would end the contract pretty quickly."

Sebastian lifts his head, incredulous, and then sighs. "You haven't quite got the hang of this, have you?"

Ciel fails to understand what the doctor is intending to express with this, so he doesn't answer. Sebastian offers a wry smile and extends a hand to brush over Ciel's head. "You might want to practise that."

With a huff Ciel slaps away the human's hand, careful not to put too much force into the slap. He is, after all, much stronger than he looks. The doctor smiles as if he's expected this and places the newly bought clothes next to Ciel on the couch. "Try them on."

Resting his elbow on the couch's armrest, Ciel looks down at the doctor lazily. He quite likes the sight of someone on their knees in front of him. "Dress me."

This time, the doctor only sighs slowly. But he dresses and undresses the demon in cold colours, checking if the things he's chosen fit. Ciel can't give an answer when he's asked whether he likes what Sebastian has bought. Human's clothes are so different from demons'… at least of those that bother to wear clothes, that is. "Are you aware of the fact that you know a contracted human?"

Eyes widen. Hands halt in the middle of pulling down a shirt. A reaction that is certainly different from what Ciel has seen on him.

"He smells similar to you," Ciel continues. 'Only less interesting,' he adds in his head. "And he must be very close to that demon." He leans in a little, because shock suits the doctor wonderfully. The sudden stop of a beating heart, only to resume its activities at a pace faster than before, the way he tries to play it down again, resuming a normal pose and an indifferent expression while Ciel can hear the loud beating as if he rested his head on Sebastian's chest… He finds it infatuating. "Do you have a brother?"

"Yes," Sebastian answers after a long stretch of silence. He clears his throat, pulls the shirt over soft skin, and then he makes Ciel stand up so that he can have a better look at it. "Of course I didn't know. But then again, you could be lying."

"Why should I lie about this?" Ciel frowns at him. "I could get you to form a contract without using your brother's demon as an excuse. What I wanted to was talk some sense into your thick skull."

"_My_ thick skull?" Sebastian smirks. "I think you got that wrong."

Ciel rolls his eyes. "Are you done staring at my body?"

"If you're talking about your clothes, yes, we're done trying them on." Sebastian leaves him in the latest set of clothes, which is different from the others: Loose trousers and a large shirt, comfortable and almost weightless. Sleeping clothes, Ciel concludes, tugging at the elastic fabric.

"I'm going to keep the ones that fit."

The doctor nods and gets up, leaving most of the clothes and the price tags that he cut from the sleeping clothes on the coffee table. "I've got a spare bedroom. Do you eat anything other than… souls?"

"I do not require food, drink or sleep," Ciel answers.

"Sounds like a great way to save money," Sebastian comments lightly.

The young demon follows him to the kitchen, learning how food is prepared and cooked, and then takes an interest in watching the doctor eat. He doesn't meet the man's gaze, though, and while he'd like to think that he's sneaky enough not to be caught staring, he knows that Sebastian is only humouring him.

**OOO**

The next morning Sebastian wakes up to an empty flat.

The demon is gone.

After having checked the spare room, the kitchen and after a short glance at the living-room, the doctor puts it off as having had the strangest dream in his whole life. Maybe somebody should have a look at that. Something must be off with him. He chuckles to himself. Of course. He probably only needs the day off. Not that he'd do that, though; he isn't sick or hindered in any way, so he's going to go to work today.

His chuckles stop abruptly when he finally spots the bag of children's clothes on the other side of the couch. A pair of pyjamas is lying on the floor next to the bag that lacks a set he bought yesterday.

He stands there, staring and trying to will the bag away. When it doesn't disappear, he abruptly turns on his heels and goes back to searching his flat thoroughly.

The demon child is not there anymore.

And… this is good, isn't it? The doctor frowns at his own thoughts. He doesn't know whether it's too early to be relieved; demons surely have their ways, don't they?

Maybe he's just expected more, but the demon lacks a decent amount of entertainment. It seems to have given up now and while it has tried to persuade Sebastian, it has lost interest quickly.

This is absolutely void of any kind of excitement.

Sebastian comes to a halt by the front door, relieved and not at the same time, before he has a small breakfast and leaves the flat. After having arrived incredibly late at work yesterday, Sebastian rather goes by car again today. He could take an underground train like the day before after he realized that the distance to the hospital is longer than he thought, but he doesn't want to be around people before work.

It is strange, he thinks, how life just goes on. The voice of an animated moderator barely reaches Sebastian's ears as he passes shops and citizens in his car. A demon has been here, and now it's gone and nothing has changed.

When a song from Claude begins – and Sebastian recognizes every song during the first two seconds – the doctor grits his teeth and switches the radio off. "Did you cheat with your demon, brother?"

Claude, of course, doesn't answer.

Sebastian would like to know for how long the demon has been around, what it did and who it is. Is it somebody he also knows?

Is it Alois?

Sebastian rolls his eyes. "Of course not," he mutters. As if that thing can do anything other than throw himself at older men.

Of course not.

He parks his car by the hospital, gets out and takes the longer way by entering through the front door - he always does that, though, to greet the staff by the hospital reception -

… He stops at the sight of a slight, small figure in one of his jackets, and he drops the keys in his hand that he hasn't put into his pocket yet, he frowns with a smile frozen on his mouth, and then he lets out a humourless laugh, hoping that it sounds halfway genuine in the passing people's ears. "_What_ are you doing here?" The words come through almost-clenched teeth and Sebastian feels that this must be the ugliest face he's ever made. So many emotions are showing right now and he feels exposed.

"Dad," Ciel says, and he beams as he harshly tugs at the nurse's hands so that she – _he_ – lets him go. He spreads his arms and runs to Sebastian, wraps his fragile-looking limbs around the doctor's middle.

"How often have I told you not to call me that?" Sebastian mutters, only half of his acting skills pouring into that sentence as he tries to pull back his real emotions again. They are supposed to stay on the inside, after all.

Ciel merely grins at him. He's so small, Sebastian notices, and his hand automatically flies to the (demon) child's head to flatten unruly strands of hair.

"Sebastian, daaaarling! I didn't know you had a son."

Oh, right. That one is there, too.

"He's not my son. He's my nephew."

Grell Sutcliff, wearing a _woman's nurse outfit_, lifts a critical eyebrow. "Your _nephew_."

"Yes. Is there something about this fact that doesn't agree with you?"

The redhead scoffs as if trying to convey his opinion into this short sound and then reaches up to fix his ponytail. "Why should there be anything that I wouldn't agree with? As long as it doesn't disturb our flourishing relationship, I don't mind."

"Grell, there is no 'flourishing relationship' betw-"

"Did you know that denying our love only makes you sexier?" Grell chuckles, trying to appear seductive. "I like it."

Sebastian closes his mouth at once.

"The kid isn't supposed to be here, though."

For once, Grell is right. Ciel is still hugging Sebastian, but by now he seems tremendously bored. "I think I'm going to talk to Anne about this," the doctor says.

"Why?" Grell is barely hiding his sneer. His spectacles don't diminish the force of his glare. Sebastian doesn't have a problem with the look on Grell's face, but rather at whom the glare is directed.

Why is Grell behaving this way? It is known throughout the whole hospital that Grell does like children, especially the cute ones. Since he can't have any himself, he likes to spoil other people's children.

"Because - as you can see - the moment that I avert my gaze from Ciel, he's gone. I'd like to keep an eye on him so that it won't happen again." Sebastian cocks his head to the side and smiles pleasantly as they're still surrounded by patients and early visitors. "If you excuse us now, I need to change and get started."

Grell opens his mouth as if to say something, but then he closes it again. On his red high heels, he walks away, this time not even bothering to add the usual extra swing to his hips that is supposed to raise Sebastian's non-existent lust for him. The doctor does watch him leave this time, but just to make sure that Grell is actually going _away_ instead of coming back to stalk him.

Angelina ('Call me Anne' alias 'Madame Red', as the staff likes to call her) is very fast to persuade. She just needs one look at Ciel and agrees straight away. The boy can stay, as long he doesn't disturb the daily routine too much. He will have to wait in front of patients' rooms until Sebastian is done with check-ups and he is to stay in the young doctor's office whenever there's an operation. The only price he has to pay for having Ciel stay with him is a playful slap to his backside as he turns to leave. Deeply shocked, he suppresses a yelp. Anne has become more daring lately.

Ciel watches the exchange without any change of expressions whatsoever.

Sebastian leaves the boy in his office as he quickly fetches his doctor's overalls. When he returns, he sees that Ciel is still quite incapable of buttoning his shirt now that he's taken off the older male's jacket. Without another word, Sebastian kneels in front of the boy to fix these little things. Ciel doesn't move.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to see you again," Sebastian begins.

"Sorry to disappoint," Ciel replies dryly. "I do intend to devour your soul."

"There will be no contract." Sebastian is starting to feel like a broken record now.

Ciel's upper lip twitches as if he wants to bear his teeth. Then he seems to think better of it and leans back in his chair, forcing the doctor to follow him. "This nurse… I wasn't aware that you interact with creatures of his kind."

"Creatures of his kind?" Sebastian repeats. Cross-dressers?, he would rather ask.

"Reapers."

The doctor stills. His first instinct is to deny it, his second to consider it and his third to demand proof. He's buttoning the shirt of a demon, though, so why shouldn't there be any reapers? Death would surely have too much to do on his own.

Sebastian wants to lock himself in a room and wait until this insanity has passed. It's tedious and grates his nerves into powdery substance. He doesn't have much energy left for his actual work today and this doesn't make him happy.

"I think they're working at the hospital to either gather the souls as quickly as possible or because they are on a mission." Now that Sebastian is finished, he straightens to his full height under the gaze of the boy. "How long has this reaper been here?"

"A year, I think." Sebastian pushes his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

"It could be that they're monitoring somebody," Ciel muses. "It could be you." He gets up and, after a short moment of hesitation, grabs Sebastian's hand. The doctor notices for the first time that the demon's fingernails are black.

"We need to find out whether it is you who they are monitoring," Ciel says, "because that would make everything slightly more difficult for me."

"I could just talk to Grell," Sebastian offers, but not without cringing inwardly. "He'll tell me everything-"

"Don't be stupid," Ciel immediately cuts in. It is apparent that he himself hasn't thought of anything yet. Sebastian almost smirks despite the unnerving situation. "Let's wait and see. They've all got the same eyes, so if there are more of them, they will be easy to find among your connections."

Sebastian merely nods, keeping his own thoughts to himself. "Why would they monitor me?"

"Your brother's demon might have a certain interest in you." Ciel shrugs. "Either way, it's not because they expected me to be here."

"If they aren't targeting you it would be wiser to stay out of this."

The demon gives him a _look_. "Your soul would go to waste if the reapers got what they want."

Sebastian opens the door and steps into the corridor. "I would be rather grateful if they protected my soul. I'd grow old and die happy."

"And yet you are holding my hand." The boy's voice oozes smugness. "I knew there is something that you want. Name it."

"Could we please not discuss this in a public place?" Sebastian asks in a low voice. He lets go of Ciel's hand and rests his own hand just underneath the boy's shoulder blades. He needs to fetch the latest notes on a patient before he can have a look at the old man. Another doctor has done the check up yesterday.

The boy stays silent as if he's sulking. Somebody must be used to getting what they want. Sebastian wants to tell him that this definitely isn't how it works in life but he refrains from doing it. How strange would that be, lecturing a demon? He almost chuckles to himself.

"Is there a possibility to meet your brother?" Ciel finally asks after Sebastian has picked up the latest notes on his patient (or rather on Anne's patient).

"Everybody wants to meet him," Sebastian answers.

"But you're his family."

"Why do you want to see him?"

Ciel looks around, barely moving his head as if to stay unsuspicious. "I wish to meet his demon."

* * *

_And in come the shinigami. Can't have a fic without them, right? ;)_

_See you in the next chapter! ^^ Thank you for reading as well as for your reviews, favs and alerts!_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Alright, dears, this is an _unbeta'd_ chapter because I just crushed my writer's block half an hour ago (Yeah, me likes to keep my deadlines XD). I'm going to upload a beta'd version with the next chapters. You might want to look out for changes in this one when the next chapter's out.

**Disclaimer**: Do not own and never will.

**Chapter 4**

If Sebastian has intended to avoid Grell for the rest of the day, it doesn't happen. The nurse waits for him by a patient's room, having a one-sided glaring match with Ciel who has reverted to ignoring the reaper, and as soon as Sebastian exits the room Grell hugs his arm, pressing his body against the doctor's limb. The redhead is still wearing that white dress.

"Sebastian, we need to talk immediately."

"I refuse if it has to do with weddings," Sebastian answers. Ciel has put away the comic he's been reading for show (or maybe because he's genuinely interested?) and is now watching them with a mixture of disdain and interest.

"As much as I'd like to discuss our romantic relationship, we've got other things at hand." Grell's gaze wanders over to Ciel. "Things that, unfortunately, are of higher priority."

The doctor purses his lips. "Alright," he says at last, "let us discuss."

"Not here, Bassy." Grell starts walking away, obviously expecting Sebastian to follow, which the doctor reluctantly does. But the redhead quickly turns around again, lifting a hand. "Stay, boy."

Ciel narrows his eyes.

"He's not a dog, you know?" Sebastian says.

Grell rolls his eyes. "I know that. Come now, my boss is already getting pretty mad at you for being such a magnet."

They find an unoccupied hospital room where the nurse sits down on a plastic-covered bed. Sebastian chooses not to take a seat. Grell crosses his legs rather slowly, his eyes on Sebastian's, and the doctor stubbornly refuses to break the eye contact, lest the nurse (reaper) think something inappropriate. "We don't have to talk yet. You know, me, you, a bed…"

"I'm not interested," Sebastian deadpans.

Grell rolls his eyes. "Your loss, really."

"You wanted to talk to me? Do it before I leave this room. I have got patients to look after."

It doesn't take very long for Grell to focus on business. Sebastian is glad about that; he doubts he can take the nurse's incessant flirting any more. "You know about him."

There is no nee din playing dumb. Sebastian nods.

"You… know about me?"

"I heard that you were a reaper."

"And a very good one at that!" Grell suddenly exclaims self-confidentially and grins to show a very… sharp row of teeth.

Sebastian recoils slightly. How come he's never seen them before?

"If you know that this is a demon, you will also know what it desires," Grell continues, flicking his ponytail behind his shoulder. "I cannot allow this. The demon must go."

"How do you intend to accomplish this?" Sebastian asks.

"Tell him no. If that doesn't work," Grell adds when Sebastian snorts, "I'm there to chase him away. Or cut him up. Whatever comes first. Before he does it to you."

"He wouldn't do that to me," Sebastian says. "It's against his aesthetics. As long as I don't form a contract with him, he's harmless."

"Harmless!" Grell huffs in indignation. "He's as harmless as I am tame. This isn't _any_ demon, no less."

Sebastian smirks. "I know."

"He needs to be taken care of." Grell gets up from the bed. "I wanted to inform you of this. As a member of the Dispatch Society, I don't need your consent to get the demon away from you. It is for your own good; humans tend to forget their own wellbeing sometimes. Don't form a contract with him, no matter how harmless he looks. It's dangerous."

Sebastian has lost his smirk by now. He can't say why, but the thought of having to part from Ciel doesn't sit well with him. It is as if somebody intends to steal this great chunk of possibilities from him. He knows he can use Ciel to his own gain.

He also knows he will never act upon this selfish intention.

He doesn't know why he wants the demon to stay.

"I'll keep it in mind," he says. "But I'd like for you to leave the demon to me."

Grell grins. "It doesn't work that way. Don't tell me how to do my job, sweetheart. I'm one of those who will guide your soul to rest. I don't feel like losing it to a demon child."

"Who said I'll ever form a contract?" Sebastian asks.

The grin is wiped off of Grell's face in an instant. "Wait, what?" He scrunches up his face in confusion. "Sebby, what is the meaning of this? Are you aware of what you're doing? He'll sway you!"

But Sebastian is leaving the room already. He can't stay any longer and as he walks away he becomes aware of this burning sensation inside his chest, scalding and painful, and he can't tell why he's so incredibly _furious_.

When he rounds a corner, he finds Ciel where he's been left. The demon boy sits primly in his seat, looking at the comic in his hands in polite interest. His gaze lifts and meets Sebastian's and the doctor feels that his fury is slowly subsiding. Instead he wants to laugh, until he cries, until his stomach hurts, until he's breathless, because his life has just been turned upside-down in less than forty-eight hours and it's absolutely pathetic.

"Let's go home," he says.

Ciel blinks. "Your day isn't over yet." He at least has enough sense not to question Sebastian's choice of words. 'Home' must be a new concept to him anyway.

"Angelina will understand that I'm not feeling well." Sebastian might just have to pull the 'favourite' card but it's better than nothing.

Ciel gets up, slides his hand into Sebastian's. "If you say so."

**OOO**

The first thing he does that evening is call Claude. It's a funny thing, he thinks as he looks into the contacts saved in his phone, because Claude's number is there: home, mobile one, mobile two, even his manager's number. Sebastian stares at the digits in bewilderment, unable to tell when exactly he'd saved those numbers in his phone. But there they are, and all he can do is dial the number beneath 'Mobile one' for now.

Claude answers after the third dial tone. _"What a surprise, little brother."_ It's hard to tell whether he's honestly surprised or not because right now, he just sounds tired.

That's what he wanted, right? Being a celebrity has its dark sides. Sebastian can't keep the snort to himself. "Hello to you too."

"_Why are you calling? There are no relatives that could have died."_

"There are no deaths. We need to talk."

"_That's something new."_ Claude gives a low 'oof' and there is more rustling on the other side_. "What do you want to talk about?"_

"_Who is it?"_ a young voice murmurs. It remains unknown whether Claude gives his young guard an answer or not.

"About your contract," Sebastian says with a straight face. He sees Ciel coming from the kitchen with a poison green apple and waves the demon closer. It's crazy how casually he is interacting with the supernatural creature and he thinks that something must be terribly wrong with him. On the other hand, Ciel is so innocent in this world. While Sebastian does not know what the demon might have seen in his world, he can't help but find the creature's lack of knowledge incredibly adorable. He takes the apple, polishes it with the sleeve of his cardigan as he balances the phone on his shoulder and hands it back to the boy. Ciel sniffs again before he takes a tentative bite.

Claude has been silent for quite a while now, but it seems as if he's finally found his words again. _"What contract?"_

"_That_ contract, Claude. I know about them. In fact, there's one sitting next to me. Want to say hello?"

"_No,"_ Claude replies icily. The tiredness is gone. _"Why have you got one? You shouldn't-"_

"It's none of your business, brother." Sebastian can't help but wonder. Could it be that Claude is concerned?...

He snorts to himself. Of course. Claude would choke himself before even thinking about being concerned.

"My, ah, contractor would like to meet yours." He regards Ciel as the young demon pulls a face around the piece of apple in his mouth. The boy gives him the fruit and moves to spit out what's in his mouth, but a stern look from Sebastian causes him to keep it in.

"_Why?"_

"I don't know, some kind of marking their territories? How can I know what they're going to do?"

There is a drawn sigh from the celebrity and Sebastian can hear the young voice murmuring again, almost as if chanting_: "Oh, come on, Claude, it would be fun. Say yes, Claude, please say yes. It's important to meet your rival, don't you think? I want to meet them. Don't worry about me, I can crush them. Claude, we should meet them."_

"… _Alright,"_ Claude finally says, surrendering to the soft chants and Alois giggles happily in the background. There is the sound of a kiss, and Sebastian frowns.

"So, it's Alois?" he asks, taking a bite of the apple. He's careful not to touch the place that Ciel has eaten from. While he doesn't fear the demon's actions, he doesn't know whether demon salvia is something dangerous or not. He probably should have asked, but Ciel is already interested in other things, so Sebastian feels alright with eating the apple. He can imagine that Ciel wouldn't try to switch on his TV if a human was about to be poisoned.

A pause. _"Yes, it's him."_

Sebastian hums. "I don't know what to say."

"_Then you might want to keep quiet."_

"Come to my place," Sebastian tells him. "Whenever you're free."

"_I will,"_ Claude says.

Sebastian hangs up after a short goodbye, finishes most of the apple and then throws it away. "Are you happy now?" he asks. "My brother will be coming over with his demon."

"Very happy," Ciel tells him blandly from where he's standing by the TV. "I'll tell the demon to stay away from you…. Now how do you switch this on?"

Sebastian takes the remote control and presses the power button.

Nothing happens.

The doctor frowns, trying it again.

Nothing.

"Okay, what did you do?" he asks the demon.

Ciel just looks at him. "What makes you think I did something?"

Sebastian joins him by the TV and looks behind it. There is a mess of severed cables and bits of isolation and the doctor purses his lips at the sight. "You are going to stay away from electronic devices, you hear me?"

"Maybe," Ciel replies haughtily.

Sebastian is having a headache by now.

**OOO**

In the course of the week, Ciel has acquired this nasty habit of wandering around at ungodly hours, snooping around Sebastian's things, clattering pots and pans, opening and closing the fridge, switching lights on and off as well as the shower. Sebastian understands that the boy most likely is bored out of his wits but being a light sleeper, this is keeping him from his much-needed rest. The quick _taptaptap_ of small feet hitting the floor at night is all it takes to stir him from his slumber. It doesn't even matter whether his bedroom door is closed or not, because as soon as the pots clatter, he's up and out of his bed, shooing the boy back into the guest room.

And while he complains about the boy making too much of a racket, he can't help but wonder whether Ciel is starting to do it on purpose. So on a particularly loud night, Sebastian lifts the demon into his arms, drops him on the bed in the guest room and takes a seat in the chair by the window, watching the boy as he glowers at his host. "What is it that you want?" Sebastian asks. "You know you can't force me into a contract by sleep deprivation."

"I'm hungry," the boy says.

"Then eat something-" The doctor stops. He clears his throat. "I'm not going to form a contract with you. There is nothing that I want enough to sell my soul."

"There must be."

"I wouldn't let you eat me anyway. This might sound strange in your ears, but the thought of you gnawing on my bones unsettles me slightly."

"I'm only eating your _soul_," Ciel says with a frown. "It doesn't take much more than lip contact. But I suppose I could eat your heart."

Sebastian huffs. "Nice try. But no, I'm afraid I must decline."

"What a shame," Ciel says.

"Indeed." Sebastian smiles at him. He folds his hands in his lap and regards the demon with new interest. Now that he's here ,at night and with sleep far away, he figures he can indulge his interests a little. "Tell me, what can you do?"

"What do you mean?" Ciel asks. His pale features are enlightened by moonlight (but also streetlights) pouring into the room.

"With your body. As a demon in general, what can you do?"

Ciel smirks at him and rolls onto his stomach, watching Sebastian almost playfully from where he is lying. "I can do many things."

Sebastian hums noncommittally, trying to hide his obvious interest. "Well, show me something."

He holds in breath in shock when the sudden ripping of fabric is heard. There is motion above Ciel, rustling, but Sebastian can't see much in the half-darkness. He reaches to his side, switching on the light in the room and feels his jaw drop.

They are of the deepest black he's ever seen, contrasting sharply with the white fabric hanging of Ciel's frail shoulders: Wings, as high as the boy is tall, looming over the now sitting figure. Ciel's eyes have lost their shade of sky blue and are of a faintly glowing red. Without asking, Sebastian gets up, walks over to the boy and touches the feathers. He is intrigued, if not from a scientific point of view. Ciel lets him brush his hand over the feathers without making a sound. It only occurs to Sebastian that this might be an intimate act, but when he looks at Ciel, the boy seems bored.

"What else can you do?" he asks.

The boy's wings disappear into his back with the sickening crunch of breaking bones, and Sebastian fights the urge to actually check the area to make sure that nothing happened. Ciel takes his hand and closes his eyes. Sebastian is startled when the scent of fresh grass washes over him, and then he feels an actual breeze hitting his back. He turns around, confused. A large field lies in front of him the sky is stretched out above his head, as blue as Ciel's eyes. There are two young boys running around, one chasing the other.

It's Claude and himself.

Sebastian's younger version looks happy as he runs away from his brother. Claude huffs with a smile on his lips, following his brother. Sebastian remembers that the older sibling used to be sick all the time when they had been children, turning simple events like playing catch into a rarity. He thinks of how Claude used to play the piano even when he was sick and weak from having beaten the latest fever, how Sebastian himself sat next to him on the piano bench without a worry about getting sick, too (he never did) and the picture shifts to Claude sitting in front of his piano, smiling into the camera on his birthday. Sebastian is standing next to his parents, grinning from ear to ear when Claude gets him and lifts him up to sit on his lap. The real Sebastian frowns and looks to where he suspects Ciel to be, but the demon boy is nowhere to be seen and he realises that he can't feel the warmth of the child's hand on his own.

The picture shifts again and the boys have grown into adolescents. Claude and Sebastian both play the violin, but being three years older and with Sebastian's disinterest in music until he was eight, Claude has around eight years' worth of experience that the younger brother lacks.

They must be around fifteen and eighteen in this scene. Claude is going to finish school soon and leave home to study music. Sebastian faintly remembers that their relationship had been off for years now. The whole thing had started with something trivial: Their voices. But Sebastian suspects that the problems had always been there. Their musical ability had just been another trigger.

Claude scowls in displeasure as they play the duet, as Sebastian is trying hard to keep up with him. Their parents will be listening this evening, and young Sebastian is stressed by trying to impress them.

'You know that this is played at a faster pace, don't you?' Claude suddenly asks. 'You'll be having problems if you don't concentrate.'

Sebastian stops playing and casts his bother a dark look. When he drops both the violin and the bow, Claude winces but not because of his brother's anger. He of course, is more concerned about the violin and as Sebastian rushes out of the room, Claude bends to pick it up, inspecting it thoroughly.

Pictures of them yelling at each other surface from this moment onward, and Sebastian remebers that he hasn't touched a violin since then.

"Stop that," Sebastian says loud and clear. "Ciel, stop looking into my head."

The images end so abruptly that Sebastian finds himself breathless at the sudden loss. A splitting headache emerges and he groans, pressing his fingers into his temples. The back of one hand is uncomfortably cool because of the loss of Ciel's warmth. Sebastian doesn't want to think about it. "Never do that again, you hear me? _Never_."

"No need to get angry," the boy says, "although I find myself intrigued. What happened between the two of you?"

Sebastian groans. "Nothing. It's just bad chemistry between us."

"Sure," Ciel says, sounding unconvinced.

Sebastian doesn't feel the need to explain himself to a demon and so he doesn't. "Do try to stay quiet at night," he murmurs and leaves the guest room to spend the rest of the night wide awake in his own bed

* * *

_So far so good for this week! I'll see you in the next chapter. Don't forget to review. I always read your reviews even if I sometimes fail to reply._

_And if you've got free time at hand and like plots with a nice side dish of twistedness, you might want to check out my modern artist AU fic 'Crescendo' which is a Sebastian/Ciel story._


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Sorry for the very long wait! I actually intended to take a veeeeeery long pause from writing fic, but I can't just leave an unfinished one like this, especially since I've got it more or less planned out in my head.

This chapter is unbeta'd, because the inspiration for the end of this chapter just came to me after it's been sitting around for something like five months. Hopefully there are not too many mistakes. I can't promise regular updates, but the next chapters should be beta'd again :)

Enjoy!

**Chapter 5**

One day, they find themselves in the human's car, stuck in what Sebastian calls a 'traffic jam'. While the doctor is silently seething, Ciel wonders how he doesn't seem affected by this day's main event: Somebody passed away on the operation table. There has been a strange atmosphere around the doctors today. Has this happened before? Ciel is sure he heard the redheaded female mutter something like 'Not again.'

Whatever the reason for the mood, Sebastian has yet to bat an eyelash for the dead patient and the doctor who'd lost him. Ciel finds this vaguely amusing.

"Doctors help people," he says.

The man blinks, his eyes still set on the road as if it would make the cars move quicker, but Ciel has his attention. "Yes."

The demon boy nods carefully, looking at his black nails. "You don't strike me as the type to help."

"But I'm doing it, am I not?" Sebastian counters. He briefly looks at Ciel and then back at the street. "It's a family tradition. I'm just following in my father's footsteps because Claude found that his own interest were more relevant than tradition."

Ah, that Claude again. "What would you have wanted to become if not a doctor?" Ciel asks.

"A musician," Sebastian answers after a considerable pause.

This is where Ciel falls silent. He doesn't suggest forming a contract and doesn't comment on how Sebastian sneers and suddenly switches off the radio as if it was an annoying insect that needs to be squashed. But, he thinks, maybe the voice he just heard sounded similar to Sebastian's. He doesn't ask about this, either, because he feels that this isn't the right moment to prod.

(Whenever did he start considering a human's feelings?)

The silence isn't very comfortable, even the young demon realises that, but he has no talent when it comes to conversation. Some demonic traits are there, some must be acquired, and some are there but one must learn how to use them properly. It seems that Ciel has encountered an awful lot of situations to which the last applies.

When they get out of the car and take the stairs to Sebastian's flat, Ciel suddenly feels that something is amiss. There is a supernatural creature that doesn't care about being caught. Could it be the demon?

Ciel feels a strange emotion rising inside him that makes him restless. His heart, while technically speaking just a fake, is beating rather fast, and he frowns at the processes in his body that he does not and maybe does not want to understand. He taps his fingers against the side of his upper thigh, watching Sebastian's back as the doctor climbs the stairs in front of him. It's funny how he doesn't seem to mind too much about this: Turning his back to a demon. Ciel wonders if he really appears that harmless. He almost feels insulted, but then again, the human seems pretty daft anyway: He doesn't recognise a high status when it stands in front of him and doesn't really understand that Lucifer himself is just a few strings away that wait to be pulled. Those strings are Ciel's father.

Not that Sebastian cares, really.

Ciel almost rolls his eyes at this. "They are here," is what comes out of his mouth instead, and that is where Sebastian stops and turns around to look at the demon boy as if he has never seen him before. Lost in thought? Ciel wants to know what's inside this man's head.

Sebastian blinks a few times and seems to snap out of it. "Are they now?" he mutters darkly. He approaches Ciel and rests his hand between the boy's shoulder blades. "Since you're royalty in your world, I hope I am correct when I assume that you're the stronger one?"

Ciel grimaces. "Strength depends on age and on how much of it you were born with."

"Great. Finish that kid off."

"Kid?" Ciel repeats. "The demon is a _child_?"

"Much like you," Sebastian replies. They are speaking in low tones, the taller one's head bowed while the younger one stares up at him. "Though he's been around for almost eight years."

Ciel grimaces. He does not want that beast to touch Sebastian, but he also knows that he might be at a disadvantage should the other demon choose to attack. And since they are demons, he just might, seeing that Ciel is likely to have the higher rank which is wanted among lower-ranked. And if Ciel is defeated in battle, the other demon has the 'right' to replace Ciel and his parents wouldn't even mind.

"Appearances can also deceive," he murmurs. "Demons aren't necessarily children just because they look young."

Sebastian hums noncommittally as they reach the top of the stairs. The stench of another demon in the building intensifies and Ciel wrinkles his nose in distaste. Clearly, he can smell pheromones.

They round a corner that leads them right to Sebastian's flat and Ciel freezes when he sees the pair: On the surface, the raven-haired man is very similar to Sebastian, but that is where the similarities end. He stinks of slimy greed and the sharp tang of… Ciel halts. No, that can't be right.

The demon is a boy with a cherubic face twisted into ugly rage. He has a most interesting sense of fashion, Ciel notices. This can't be clothes on his body, can they? Whatever they are, it doesn't matter, because the older demon begins hissing loudly, a sound that Ciel is very much used to. Many demons have challenged his father to a duel while he watched. Funny how it has never been one of the counsellor's own people, but that seems to be another story in itself.

Ciel doesn't give an answer to the hiss. Both humans are staring at the blond boy now who is slowly approaching Ciel, and the higher-ranked demon pushes Sebastian to the side. That boy hisses again, loudly, rudely, and by now he has grown fangs and part of his face is covered in scales. Blue eyes flash red and that is when _Ciel_ lunges. The older demon, too caught up in the process of threatening, stumbles to the ground with Ciel on top of him. That's what he gets for his theatrics. Ciel is more the practical one, and even though his father taught him to never be the first to strike, the opportunity was too good to pass up.

They snarl and slash at each other, a tangle of children's limbs on the floor, until someone suddenly lifts Ciel from Alois. The young demon immediately calms down, hoping that he's proven a point now. He's his father's son, and he will do his best to stay that way.

"Didn't strike you as the hands-on type," Sebastian murmurs, still holding Ciel by his collar.

"Shut up," Ciel snarls. Suddenly it's embarrassing to have a mortal speak to him in such a way when he isn't even contracted.

"So you're the counsellor's pup, huh?" the blond demon sneers, getting up and licking the blood from his split lip.

Ciel doesn't answer.

"It's not about you two," Sebastian says into the silence, his voice leaving to opening for a comeback, "it's about me and my brother."

"My brother and me," Claude corrects in a drawl.

Sebastian looks at him as if he might want to strangle him. "Why don't we begin, then?" He points to Alois. "I should have known you were using unfair means to become England's most famous pop star."

"He offered, I accepted," Claude says. "Like you did."

"I didn't," Sebastian says.

Claude looks between Sebastian and Ciel. "You didn't," he repeats. Something in his expressionless face lights up, something that could threaten Ciel's intentions to contract Sebastian, and the young demon fights the urge to attack Claude. He eyes Alois suspiciously, but the blond is sauntering over to the kitchen, climbing on the counter and fetching a cup before expertly pressing buttons on the grey electronic box. Soon the smell that Ciel has come to recognise as 'coffee' fills the room.

"We need to talk," Claude is saying now, frowning. Even though he addresses his brother, he is staring at Ciel.

"Yes, yes I know." Sebastian gestures with mocked politeness. "Do begin."

Claude eyes him for a long moment. "Alois, this is an order."

At this, the blond demon stiffens slightly, the force of the contract taking over, waiting for what needs to be done.

"While I speak to my brother, I expect you to stay out of hearing range. You will not eavesdrop, you will not try to watch us in any way. You are not to interrupt. Wait until I call you."

"Sure thing, you Highness," Alois chimes. He takes his coffee and leaves the room.

"Ciel," Sebastian begins, "I expect the same of you, even if we are not contracted."

"Would it make you more likely to accept the contract?" Ciel asks. He hates the way Claude smiles at that.

"Why not?" Sebastian shrugs. "You've got a long way to go." He turns to his brother. Ciel takes this as a cue to leave the room.

He has to get out of hearing range. This means that he will have to leave the flat. As he does exactly this, shuffling lazily through the corridor – he doesn't feel like keeping up appearances at the moment, he catches the scent of coffee. Despite his mind telling him not to, he follows the scent to its origins, which would be the cup that Alois is currently holding. The blond demon is leaning against a wall on the other side of the building, which is more than just 'out of hearing range', because not even Ciel could hear the brothers from here, not even if he tried.

"I have laid eyes on this pair first," Alois says. "Way before you. It would be better you left. There are many other souls that you can have, oh mighty son of the Lord Counsellor."

"Do not try to mock me," Ciel warns him. "This human has accepted me already. The deal has already been established."

Alois nods in an indulgent manner. "Of course. And your contract mark is invisible to all the senses."

Ciel has never met a demon who can enrage him so quickly. He locks that emotion away, though, for he doesn't enjoy fighting and it is very clear that Alois wants him to attack. "Who are you anyway to think you have the right to contract two humans at a time?"

"Easy," Alois says. "My human's time is almost over. All I have to do is wait a little longer. And if you must know, I've been very patient so far."

**OOO**

Not too long ago, Claude has told him that one can never know when they see someone for the last time.

And now he's saying: "The contract will expire in three months."

"And you will die," Sebastian adds.

Claude nods. "I thought you should know."

"I didn't want to know," Sebastian says.

"You wound me." Claude's voice is incredibly bland when he says it. "Alois was just going to help me become famous quickly. I honestly didn't expect the fame to last for so long." He regards the living-room, as if he's searching for something he hasn't noticed yet. "Don't form a contract with the demon."

"I don't intend to."

Claude halts. "Good."

Sebastian smiles tightly. "Give me the date. I'll visit you the day before."

Claude tells him, almost hesitantly, before he tells him. Sebastian is surprised that he feels grateful for this.

They remain silent for maybe half an hour, and that silence feels heavy, but words wouldn't help, either, so they don't even try. Claude getting up signals Sebastian to accompany him to the door. He waits until Claude is happy with his reflection in the mirror by the hallway, and then tells him goodbye by the doorstep. He watches his brother's back, thinking that he isn't angry with him anymore, but he sure as hell isn't sad, either.

When Claude is out of sight, Ciel returns, his face informing Sebastian of the demon's bad mood. It is almost adorable. Just as the boy wants to open his mouth to say something, they hear a loud clatter. Frowning, Sebastian tells Ciel to stay (to which Ciel scowls at him) and follows the sound to its source. What he finds there is box lying on the floor and a man trying to lift it again, with obvious effort. He has long grey hair, and Sebastian first thinks it is an elderly man until the stranger lifts his head to look at him, revealing that he can't be much older than Sebastian himself.

"Hello there~!" The stranger grins at him. He has the most interesting set of eyes that Sebastian has ever seen apart from Ciel's red ones. Those seem just as supernatural as the demon's. "You live here?"

Sebastian nods.

"Well, then hello, neighbour!" The man grins so brightly that Sebastian wonders if it doesn't hurt him.

"Hello," he says, shaking the proffered hand and introducing himself. The other man strangely enough calls himself Undertaker. "You need any help with this?" Sebastian asks politely.

"Nah, it's okay, I'm strong," Undertaker says, holding out a skinny arm. "Just wondering where my flatmate went."

"Right here," somebody says from behind Sebastian, and the doctor whirls around to see a younger man in a hoodie and with a very bad posture looming behind him. He holds out a hand that is covered with dried paint. "Gregory Violet. Pleased to meet you." When he lets go of Sebastian's hand, he turns to Undertaker, who is now carrying the large and heavy-looking box. "There are five more to go." He opens the door for the other man. "Going to take a bath."

"You aren't going to help me?" Undertaker asks in mock exasperation.

"It would just ruin my hands." And with that Gregory enters the flat before Undertaker. The silver-haired man smiles at Sebastian before he vanishes from sight, too. There is a heavy thud as the box is dropped again.

Sebastian takes two steps backwards before he turns and goes back to his own flat.

* * *

_Don't forget the reviews, so that I know you're still there *coughs* As always, I'm interested in what you think!_

_I intend to finish this fic, don't worry, but yeah, it will take a while, even though this fic isn't very long (I'm thinking around 10-15 chapters)_


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